Another Successful Defense Result in a Controverted Mental Stress Claim

Congratulations to Brian Schaedler and Rachel T. on securing the complete disallowance of a contested New York workers’ compensation claim involving allegations of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other psychological injuries allegedly arising from workplace events.

The claimant alleged that routine workplace interactions, performance discussions, coaching sessions, management oversight, and workplace investigations caused significant psychological injury and exacerbated pre-existing conditions.

The defense developed a strong factual and medical record through witness testimony, documentary evidence, medical development, and strategic cross-examination. The evidence established that the employer’s actions consisted of ordinary supervisory responsibilities, including performance coaching, productivity reviews, workplace investigations, and efforts to address confidentiality concerns. The record further demonstrated that the claimant was never disciplined, demoted, suspended, threatened, or subjected to any extraordinary workplace event.

The defense also successfully challenged the medical basis of the claim, identifying significant weaknesses in the PTSD diagnosis and causation opinions, including a lack of objective support, reliance on subjective complaints, and substantial pre-existing mental health treatment unrelated to employment. The employer’s psychiatric expert concluded that the claimant did not meet the criteria for PTSD and that any symptoms were related to the claimant’s perception of workplace stress rather than any extraordinary work-related event.

Following extensive briefing, the Workers’ Compensation Law Judge agreed and disallowed the claim in its entirety, finding that the alleged stressors constituted ordinary workplace supervision and lawful personnel actions undertaken in good faith, not compensable mental stress under the Workers’ Compensation Law.

This result reflects the importance of thorough factual development, effective medical cross-examination, and a strategic understanding of New York’s mental stress standards. Congratulations to Brian, who led the litigation, and Rachel, who assisted in preparing the Memorandum of Law, on an outstanding team victory.

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